Community Engagement Coordinator

Very Special Kids; Melbourne; Hybrid; AUD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Very Special Kids is seeking a Community Engagement Coordinator to increase awareness of services across Victoria. You will work with healthcare providers, schools and referral partners to strengthen pathways and connect children and families with essential support.

The role focuses on regional Victoria, involves travel, and collaboration across clinical services, community organisations and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualifications in nursing, allied health, public health, health promotion or a related field.
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.
• Strong communication, presentation and facilitation abilities.
• Experience developing and delivering community engagement, outreach or awareness-building initiatives.
• Ability to engage sensitively with children, families and communities experiencing grief, loss or complex needs.
• Knowledge of Victorian health, community services and referral systems.
• Strong organisational, project management and reporting skills.
• Current Victorian Driver's License and willingness to travel throughout Victoria.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong relationships with health professionals, hospitals, schools and community partners.
• Develop and implement engagement and outreach strategies across Victoria.
• Increase awareness of Very Special Kids services and referral pathways.
• Represent Very Special Kids at community events, health forums, conferences and stakeholder meetings.
• Deliver presentations and education sessions to diverse audiences.
• Monitor referral trends and evaluate engagement activities and impact.
• Contribute to service development and continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Public speaking

Community outreach

Sensitivity to grief

Health systems knowledge

Project management

Driver's license

Education

Tertiary qualifications in nursing, allied health, public health, health promotion or a related field

Job description

At Very Special Kids, we believe that every child and young person with a life-limiting condition deserves the best possible quality of life, no matter how long or short that life may be. We also know that supporting a child means supporting their entire family.

We are seeking a passionate and relationship-focused Community Engagement Coordinator to join our Clinical Services team.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in increasing awareness of Very Special Kids services across Victoria, building strong partnerships with health professionals and community organisation's, and helping more families access the support they need.

The role is flexible within Victoria, with potential to be based at Very Special Kids Malvern office or metropolitan and regional hubs. Regular travel across Victoria is required.

If you enjoy connecting with people, developing partnerships, promoting meaningful services, and making a tangible impact in communities, we'd love to hear from you.

About the Role

The Community Engagement Coordinator is responsible for increasing awareness, understanding and access to Very Special Kids services across Victoria.

Working closely with healthcare providers, community organisations, schools and referral partners, you will strengthen referral pathways and help ensure children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families, can access the support they need.

This role has a particular focus on regional Victoria and underserved communities, where awareness of paediatric palliative care and family support services may be limited.

Key responsibilities include:

Building and maintaining strong relationships with health professionals, hospitals, schools, community organisations and referral partners.

Developing and implementing engagement and outreach strategies across Victoria.

Increasing awareness of Very Special Kids services, supports and referral pathways.

Representing Very Special Kids at community events, health forums, conferences and stakeholder meetings.

Delivering presentations and education sessions to a range of audiences.

Strengthening engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Identifying opportunities to improve service awareness, access and participation.

Monitoring referral trends and evaluating the impact of engagement activities.

Contributing to service development initiatives and continuous improvement activities.

Who We're Looking For

We are seeking an experienced relationship builder who is passionate about connecting children and families with the support they need.

You will bring:

Tertiary qualifications in nursing, allied health, public health, health promotion or a related field.

Exceptional stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.

Strong communication, presentation and facilitation abilities.

Experience developing and delivering community engagement, outreach or awareness-building initiatives.

Ability to engage sensitively with children, families and communities experiencing grief, loss or complex needs.

Knowledge of Victorian health, community services and referral systems.

Strong organisational, project management and reporting skills.

Current Victorian Driver's License and willingness to travel throughout Victoria.

Highly regarded:

Experience in paediatric health, palliative care, disability, family services, or community health.

Experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Experience engaging in culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Experience increasing referrals, participation, or service utilisation through targeted engagement activities.

About Very Special Kids

Very Special Kids supports more than 800 families across Victoria who have a child with a life-limiting condition.

We provide specialist family support services from diagnosis through to bereavement, including counselling, sibling support, advocacy, volunteer support and specialist paediatric palliative care.

Our hospice, Very Special Kids House, is Victoria's only children's hospice, providing planned and emergency respite, symptom management and end-of-life care in a warm, welcoming and home-like environment.

Why Join Very Special Kids?

At Very Special Kids, you'll join a passionate and supportive team dedicated to improving the lives of children and young people with life-limiting conditions and their families. We offer salary packaging benefits, flexible working arrangements, professional development opportunities, and the chance to build meaningful partnerships that create lasting impact across Victoria.

At Very Special Kids, we nurture a culture where every team member feels empowered, supported, and safe as they care for children, young people, and their families. We are deeply committed to the safety, wellbeing, and inclusion of children.

Our Child Safety and Wellbeing Framework, Rights of the Child and Young Person Charters, and Charter of Rights outline our unwavering commitment to child safety and set clear expectations for all staff, volunteers and contractors working with children and young people.

Very Special Kids is committed to providing a child-safe environment and requires all staff to have Working with Children Check and Police Record Checks.Clinical Services staff are also required to provide evidence to demonstrate vaccination against COVID-19 and seasonal flu vaccinations.